VEHICLE IMMOBILIZER METHODS AND APPARATUS BASED ON DRIVER IMPAIRMENT

• US 20100294583A1
• Filed: 05/21/2009
• Published: 11/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: BIONDO, WILLIAM A., PROEFKE, DAVID T., MCCALL, CLARK E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,196,694 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/272
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/082 Evaluation by breath analysis, e.g. determination of the chemical composition of exhaled breath A61B5/083, A61B5/091 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/063 preventing starting of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/24 Drug level, e.g. alcohol

Abstract

Embodiments include systems and methods for immobilizing a motor vehicle. A system comprises an impairment sensor system and a control subsystem. The impairment sensor system is adapted to perform an analysis of a sample provided by an operator of a motor vehicle, where the analysis includes determining an impairment-related metric based on the sample. The control subsystem is adapted to control at least one mobility-related apparatus and at least one non-mobility-related apparatus of the motor vehicle. When the result of the analysis indicates that the impairment-related metric does not meet a criteria, the control subsystem is adapted to control the at least one mobility-related apparatus in a manner that disables the motor vehicle from moving and to control the at least one non-mobility-related apparatus in a manner that allows the at least one non-mobility-related apparatus to operate.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an impairment sensor system adapted to perform an analysis of a sample provided by an operator of a motor vehicle, wherein the analysis includes determining an impairment-related metric based on the sample; and

a control subsystem, operatively coupled with the impairment sensor system, and adapted to control at least one mobility-related apparatus and at least one non-mobility-related apparatus of the motor vehicle, wherein, when the result of the analysis indicates that the impairment-related metric does not meet a criteria, the control subsystem is adapted to control the at least one mobility-related apparatus in a manner that disables the motor vehicle from moving and to control the at least one non-mobility-related apparatus in a manner that allows the at least one non-mobility-related apparatus to operate.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one mobility-related apparatus comprises:

a shift control mechanism of the motor vehicle, which is controlled by locking the shift control mechanism.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one mobility-related apparatus comprises:

a transmission system of the motor vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one mobility-related apparatus comprises an apparatus selected from a group of apparatus consisting of a shift control mechanism, a throttle, a transmission system, a fuel delivery system, propulsion battery energy, and an electric park brake system.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one non-mobility-related apparatus comprises a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system of the motor vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one non-mobility-related apparatus comprises an entertainment system of the motor vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one non-mobility-related apparatus comprises an engine of the motor vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the sample includes a breath sample, wherein the analysis includes an analysis of the sample to determine the impairment-related metric as a blood alcohol concentration, wherein the result indicates the blood alcohol concentration, and wherein the control subsystem controls the at least one mobility-related apparatus in the manner that disables the motor vehicle when the blood alcohol concentration is above a threshold.

9. A system comprising:

an impairment sensor system adapted to provide a signal, when the impairment sensor system detects an impairment-related metric that does not meet a criteria, that causes at least one mobility-related apparatus of a motor vehicle to be controlled in a manner such that the motor vehicle is disabled from moving, and that causes at least one non-mobility-related apparatus to be controlled in a manner that allows the at least one non-mobility-related apparatus to operate.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one mobility-related apparatus comprises:

a shift control mechanism of the motor vehicle, which is disabled by locking the shift control mechanism.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one mobility-related apparatus comprises:

a transmission system of the motor vehicle.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one mobility-related apparatus comprises an apparatus selected from a group of apparatus consisting of a shift control mechanism, a throttle, a transmission system, a fuel delivery system, propulsion battery energy, and an electric park brake system.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one non-mobility-related apparatus comprises a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system of the motor vehicle.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one non-mobility-related apparatus comprises an entertainment system of the motor vehicle.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the non-mobility-related apparatus comprises an engine of the motor vehicle.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the impairment-related metric includes a blood alcohol concentration.

17. A method for immobilizing a motor vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

determining an impairment-related metric from a sample obtained from a vehicle operator;

determining whether the impairment-related metric meets a criteria; and

when the impairment-related metric does not meet the criteria, disabling at least one mobility-related apparatus of the motor vehicle in order to disable the motor vehicle from moving, while refraining from disabling non-mobility-related apparatus of the motor vehicle.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein disabling the at least one mobility-related apparatus comprises:

locking a shift control mechanism of the motor vehicle.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein disabling the at least one mobility-related apparatus comprises:

disabling a transmission system of the motor vehicle.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein refraining from disabling the at least one non-mobility-related apparatus comprises:

refraining from disabling a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system of the motor vehicle.